The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted Thursday to award the state’s first sports betting license to Encore Boston Harbor.
The announcement comes after deferring similar votes for other outlets earlier in the week including Plainridge Park Casino due to its ties to Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
The commission voted unanimously to approve a license for Encore Casino, owned by Wynn Resorts. However, the casino will not be allowed to accept sports wagers just yet as the Commission has put a Massachusetts sports betting launch date of late January in the calendar. According to the commission, mobile sports betting could be up and running as early as March of 2023.
Speaking at a Commission meeting on Thursday, Commissioner Jordan Maynard said:
“I think that this is great for the commonwealth. I know we took the vote saying that, but I do think it’s great for the commonwealth.”
Encore is the only casino category 1 applicant that had its application approved on the first day of consideration. Earlier this week, the commission deferred decisions on both Plainridge Park Casino and MGM Springfield.
However, commissioners did raise concerns over Encore’s plan to put sports betting kiosks in the parking garage for “express” betting.
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien said of the plan:
“I’m not 100% convinced one way or the other on whether the gaming floor should be expanded to include that. I don’t think it needs to hold this up today. I just make that point that my thumbs up on sufficiency of this application has absolutely no bearing on what I’m going to say or vote on when it comes back in front of us procedurally for a request to actually expand and create that space.”
The Gaming Commission will hold meetings starting next week to review the mobile betting application tied to one of the casinos or the slots parlor. Meanwhile, the following month, the commission will hold similar hearings on applications for “untethered” mobile sports betting.
Image credit: Parkerjh / CC BY-SA 4.0
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.